Agencies prepare new acquisitions

Customs and Border Protection and the FBI and are moving ahead on separate programs to buy IT gear, one by planning a new electronic storefront, the other by re-competing its expiring computer acquisition program.

The FBI is re-competing its main contract for IT hardware, called the Prevention of Information Technology Obsolescence (PITO) program, which expires in August, according to agency spokeswoman Allison Mahan.

In a June 26 pre-solicitation notice, the agency also renamed the PITO program, to the Information Technology Acquisition Program. The FBI said ITAP would establish potential multiple award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts for IT hardware, including desktop and laptop computers, printers, servers and storage area networks. The one-year contract, which carries an additional four-year option, covers the agency’s Washington headquarters and its 56 field offices nationwide. The agency said it could be worth as much as $450 million, and that it will be a full and open competition.

Customs and Border Protection, meanwhile, on July 2 issued a request for information looking for industry feedback on how to establish an electronic storefront that would allow its employees to compare and shop for IT gear.

CBP said it envisioned the storefront as a vendor-hosted and operated, web-based electronic portal that would allow CBP end users the ability to see and compare IT products in various categories, place and fulfill orders against established IT product contracts or approved commercial catalogs, and make payments via government purchase card or other approved method and track deliveries.

While only IT goods would be initially available through the project, CBP planned to add more product categories in subsequent stages. The agency said it is looking to have the storefront operational in 90 days.